Golden Spread boys: Randall’s Holman, Pampa’s Collins rally East

Even in an all-star game, pride takes over when a loss looks like it’s looming.

Just ask the East boys squad after Thursday night’s game against the West at the Golden Spread All-Star Tournament at the First United Bank Center in Canyon. More specifically, ask Ridrell Holman and Latigo Collins.

Trailing by 17 points early in the fourth quarter, Randall’s Holman and Pampa’s Collins took over and carried the rest of the East squad on their backs. Holman and Collins combined for 27 of the East’s 34 fourth quarter points to lead a rousing comeback, as the East rallied to beat the West 82-78.

The East will play the winner of Friday’s North-South game at 6 p.m. Saturday at First United Bank Center.

That didn’t look too likely for most of the second half. The East trailed for most of the game, falling behind by as many as 20 points late in the third quarter and trailed 65-48 in the opening minute of the fourth quarter before kicking up the intensity.

“I think we just wanted it a lot worse,” said Holman, who led the East with 25 points, including 13 in the fourth quarter. “These guys are all fighters, and a lot of them are from smaller schools, and they’re used to proving themselves. I don’t think I ever heard anybody on the bench talk about not winning.”

The East trailed 69-55 before going on an 11-0 run that turned the game. With just more than five minutes left in the fourth quarter, the East turned up the press and stole back-to-back inbounds passes, the latter steal resulting in a layup from Holman to cut the West’s margin to 69-66.

While the West didn’t immediately relinquish the lead, it was clear the East had huge momentum.

“We started pressing and got a couple of layups, and that always helps get things going,” said Collins, who had 14 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter.

Appropriately, Holman and Collins scored big shots in the last two minutes to ultimately turn the tide.

With 1:51 left, Holman scored on a layup to tie it at 74-74 for the first time since the first quarter. Then 11 seconds later, Collins hit a 3-pointer to give the East a 77-74 lead it never relinquished.

For Collins, it capped a big turnaround, as he started the East’s scoring with a 3-pointer but did nothing offensively until the fourth quarter.

“I hit the first shot of the game and didn’t hit anything after that,” Collins said. “I just had to keep shooting.”

McLean’s Jordan Herring and West Texas High’s Alex Ramirez each added 11 points for the East.